Spirit and purpose
They built this car for grassroots racing enthusiasts.

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After admiring their Z4 GT3-spec cars up front, they realized that, the further back they went, BMW’s representation was primarily from older E36 and E30 chassis. They didn’t have any modern machinery for the grass roots racers. In fact, their last real product was the M3 GT4, which wasn’t exactly bargain basement.

Accessibility continues to be the driving force behind this car.

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The M235i Race was designed to offer an affordable access point for track day enthusiasts who want to take the next step up to club, regional or national series. Costing almost 60,000 Euros, about $81,000, it’s relatively affordable for established teams. In fact, BMW reports taking 35 orders in one day at the car’s introduction to European race teams at the Nurburgring, with enquiries continuing to come in.

Engine, exhaust, transmission, and diff

The engine is basically stock, including the cooling.

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The 330hp engine, for example, is essentially stock but for its software tuning. Even the engine cooling and intercooling was production M235i.

The ZF is stock:

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It also transpires that ZF was very keen to support the project. Despite the sound of straight-cut gears from inside the car, we’re assured this was the result of no sound proofing and that it’s [the ZF8] internally stock.

Why no DCT?

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So why not DCT? After all, it’s their flagship transmission and reputedly the most advanced around. Well, it’s a simple matter of economics. The M235i wasn’t engineered for DCT, so developing it solely for the racecar would introduce greater cost, a longer gestation period and more expensive repairs.

The LSD is also very similar to what we can get in the road car.

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The limited slip differential was another welcome ally, providing further stability and traction. Modified from its settings on the road car, and still receiving final tweaks...

Either the turbo subdues the exhaust significantly, the car has a muffler, or the reviewer just wasn't familiar with the way a straight piped turbo engine sounds while wearing a helmet.

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Relatively subdued at low RPM, the M235i Racing has an angry tone at speed. Despite its lack of sound deadening, the exhaust neither droned nor buzzed, although the helmet might have helped… That said, you wouldn’t need earplugs while racing this car.

Steering and brakes

Ugh. Even in a race car, it seems they can't get it quite right.

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Again, the M235i Racing retained the stock electric steering of the production M235i, but BMW’s Dynamics engineers had worked tirelessly to get the ratio and weight right. Certainly the turn-in was beautifully precise, but I’d have requested a little more weight. Joey Hand was of a similar opinion but, two days after his Daytona 24 Hour appearance, his frame of reference was very different to mine...

Sounds like they've got a proper braking setup.

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Talking to Joey Hand after his handful of laps, the brakes were also a standout feature for him. “You’ll never run out of brakes in that car,” he confirmed. “The ABS threshold was set very high, allowing a degree of lock up on hard application.”

Aero, bodywork, and weight

The bodywork is an "overlay" job.

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The bodywork, attached over the stock steel panels, was constructed from carbon fiber-reinforced fiberglass, a material chosen for its low weight and cost.

It seems we won't see a wing on most race cars in the wild.

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A rear wing was deemed unnecessary thanks to aerodynamic balance being established with the existing front spoiler, and proven by the Nurburgring tests.

The race car is only around 270 lbs lighter than the road car.

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As a result, weight saving are in the region of 270 lb, depending no spec.

Interior

That iDrive screen is going away.

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As prototype number two of three cars built, this example still had the iDrive screen on the dash, which will be absent from the final versions. Instead, most of the data will be available on the small display in the BMW Performance steering wheel, which also sported shift lights.

US availability

More mixed messages.

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European deliveries will take precedence, with the US being supplied rather late in the day. Nobody would give a date but didn’t contradict us when we suggested deliveries might start towards the end of the year. However, we spoke to a leading BMW race team that suggested otherwise. They had tried to jump the waiting list by ordering cars from Germany but had been refused. They were also told that the order books were full for the next two years and that the M235i Racing may never even reach the US.